Citation

Popescu M, Drumm R, Mayer S, Cooper L, Foster T, Seifert M, Gadd H, Dewan S. Soc. Work Christ. 2009; 36(4): 394-414.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, North American Association of Christians in Social Work)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects women in all socio-economic and religious strata. The belief systems women rely on affect their ability to acknowledge and challenge the abuse in their relationships and move towards safety. This study explores religious belief-based barriers that deter women survivors of IPV in a conservative Christian community from changing their circumstances. The religious belief-based barriers identified by women in this study consist of an internal layer of religious beliefs and external social reinforcers strengthening these beliefs. Using the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1984), we explore these belief barriers as they affect women primarily during the precontemplation and contemplation stages. The study contributes to the current literature in two ways: by presenting a set of beliefs that affect women in conservative faith communities, thus informing the practice of both social workers and clergy; and by introducing a new conceptual approach to change for women survivors of IPV in conservative faith communities.